STAR­TLING SPEED

The ex­cel­lent ar­ti­cle “Elec­tric bikes and so­cial re­spon­si­bil­ity” (Oc­to­ber 26) for­got one very im­por­tant el­e­ment re­gard­ing side­walks – the pedes­trian! One tries to walk straight on the side­walks while avoid­ing dog poo, un­even pave­ments, ce­ment blobs from past con­struc­tion and sud­denly – whoosh! an elec­tric bike silently speeds past, which is quite star­tling. Even if the rider ap­plies a bell or horn, it is al­most im­pos­si­ble to hear above the traf­fic.

One walks in fear while cast­ing anx­ious glances back­ward in an at­tempt to see the bikes be­fore they whiz past. If one pan­ics and jumps into the bike or, worse yet, falls and breaks a bone try­ing to get out of the way, who is at fault? I am sure I am not the only se­nior cit­i­zen try­ing to walk and stay healthy with this prob­lem.